Birdwatching is a pastime of increasing popularity in the United States and abroad. While an excursion into a wilderness area is one way to view birds, many people derive satisfaction by attracting birds to their own property through various feeding devices. However, the feed provided by these devices is also highly attractive to undesired species of birds, squirrels and other rodents. A chronic problem plaguing all such devices, therefore, is how to provide fresh feed to attract certain species of birds, while simultaneously preventing undesired species of birds, squirrels, and other rodents from also partaking of that feed, while maintaining visibility of desired birds. Accordingly, there is a need for a bird feeder that limits access to species of birds that access food by clinging, such as woodpeckers.
Most conventional bird feeders are insufficient in satisfying the needs of the avid clinging bird enthusiast. The ability to house a consolidated bird feed supply such as suet-seed cake is a necessity required for many bird enthusiasts. Also, the feeder has to be able to shield the feed from the elements, and discriminate against undesired species such as perching birds and squirrels, all while providing an unobstructed view to the nearby bird enthusiast.
Unlike conventional bird feeders that provide birds with loose bird feed, clinging birds typically require a suet-seed cake feed. This feed must be distributed with a method dissimilar to conventional feeders. For suet-seed to be used in a feeder there has to be an enclosure that will retain the feed while still allowing the desired species access to the feed through a cage enclosure. Furthermore, this enclosure needs to be easily emptied, cleaned, and refilled.
The outdoor environment is an aspect that can be detrimental to the condition of suet-seed feed. Since suet-cakes can contain animal fats that allow the feed to hold its shape, protection from the elements would be desirable. Failure to provide such protection can allow the feed to become rancid, and undesirable to birds. Over time the spoiling and wasting of exposed suet-seed feed can be costly in terms of both time and expense.
One of the major areas where conventional bird feeders are deficient is in effectively discriminating against undesired species of animals while providing an unobstructed view to the nearby bird enthusiast. Currently available feeders often dispense food on some type of platform. Traditional flatbed feeders are preferable from the standpoint of being able to view all of the birds presently at the feeder. But the ability of such feeders to prevent undesirable species such as perching birds and squirrels from feeding on the same feed is minimal or non-existent, as they provide a ready platform from which a squirrel can access the feed. Another embodiment of conventional bird feeders is an enclosed feeder. While these feeders may be effective in deterring squirrels, it is not sufficiently effective in reducing the squirrel's access to the feed. Furthermore, since the feeder is enclosed it may hinder some desired birds from gaining access to the feeder due to size restrictions imposed by the entrance and egress openings of the feeder. Also, the nature of the enclosed feeder does not provide bird watchers the opportunity to partake in viewing the birds while they feed.
The challenges suggested in the preceding are not intended to be exhaustive but rather are among many which tend to reduce the usefulness of conventional clinging bird feeders. Other noteworthy problems may also exist; however, those presented above should clearly demonstrate that such feeders appearing in the past need worthwhile improvement.